Guy, I agree that search-able .pdf schematics are a godsend. I would not be without them. However, I did download and print the K3 schematics. After I locate what I want on the search-able .pdf, the printed schematics provide me with a reference point from which I can trace signal paths. Both are a great help to me.
In today's age, things are so complex that inclusion of schematics in a manual is outdated, and as you have indicated, will not reflect the "latest and greatest". The downloadable schematics are a reasonable compromise. 73, Don W3FPR On 10/15/2010 9:50 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: > There are many good reasons to not put a schematic in a modern manual, > and keep an online PDF instead. > > A) First and foremost, if a properly done PDF you can search it and > very quickly find all the wires and components associated with a > character string. The FREE Adobe Reader search will find component > lables, every occurence of a word or string in a wire lable, etc, etc. > Compared to that, paper schematics have become useless to me. Try > the PDF, you will like it. > > B) The online version can be updated and immediately available > > C) The online PDF version can be zoomed in to allow one to read the > TINY print. When I go to follow something on the printed schematic of > my FT1000MP, I have to wear a magnifier. > > D) I can print out a portion of a page to put next to me on the > workbench...a MAGNIFIED portion of a page. Try that with big printed > 24x36 pages. And then circle, highlight, etc on that paper. I don't > dare do that on a printed and bound schematic. > > E) A printed schematic that never needs updates is a Yakencom > speciality, because they never update anything except in new models > that you have to purchase the whole new rig to get incremental > changes. Especially so the FT...MP series. > > F) They send a printed manual, because that is an Analog world > leftover. In a digital world, the firmware should be constantly > evolving both for fixes and new features. This cannot be maintained > in a printed manual. This is a nod to the need to sit down and read > the manual like a book with a new rig. Which I did, several times, > for the first couple of months. I have not looked at it since. I > have #1239. For EVERYTHING afterwards, the downloaded PDF on my > laptop has been far better, including the schematic. > > G) This is not some "failing" of Elecraft, or a problem in radio. > Downloadable full manuals is becoming the most common commercial > practice for significant products which are not of the "throwaway" > kind (like watches). It uses the same already required channels for > firmware and driver updates. Most printed manuals are no longer > anywhere near comprehensive, and just a quick-start guide. The deep > and optional stuff is an up-to-date online manual or web site. > > H) Printed manuals are a considerable expense, a good half of which > is avoided by online versions. Some companies charge 25$ for printed > manuals. The cost of preparing and printing will surprise you. Some > companies have staffs of thousands engaged in documentation and > testing documentation, with perhaps a fifth of those engaged in tasks > related to the PRINTED version. This is money you spend in the > product. Insisting on printed material is only running up your own > costs. > > I) Printed manuals have to be put into process months before release > of the product in order to be ready. In some cases, companies will > have to DROP a feature or a fix that changes behavior JUST BECAUSE > IT'S TOO LATE TO CHANGE THE MANUAL. In the case of Yakencom, since > they don't ever intend to change anything, that IS the final version, > just because of the printed manual. > > J) Printed manuals do not allow drill down. This very simple aspect > of the way human minds work, expanding a clearly understood general > concept down into particulars for a specific piece of gear, cannot be > mimicked on paper. It only works in web links or PDF links. > > The other thing, if I lived on a boat and required communications > ongoing, you would never get me to go out with only one of any > communications gear, or without alternate channels, I don't care who > made it. Equipment makers are NOT God, therefore ALL equipment has > bugs and breaks down, that's ALL equipment, including our inestimable > Wayne. It used to be that one could carry spare parts, but SMD has > changed all that. > > 73, Guy. > > > On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 10:45 PM, ussv dharma<[email protected]> wrote: >> Aloha: >> >> PROBLEM >> >> 1. I rely upon my K3 for downloading weather charts, email, etc. I live on a >> small boat. >> >> 2. From day one front panel phone jack, TOUCHY. \ >> >> 3. Electraft said send it back....no radio 3 weeks or more >> >> 4. Front panel phone jack finally totally dead >> >> 5. No schematic in manual >> >> 5. rear phone jack next to label that says stereo...is the phone jack mono >> or stereo...I dont know, cant tell. >> >> Now I ask: >> >> Why no schematic...I have never had a radio without a schematic in the >> manual. >> >> QUESTION: >> what is the rear phone jack mono? Stereo? if Stereo, which connections >> for a normal pair of phones. >> >> Wish I had never got this radio, but living on social security, I am stuck >> with it. >> >> Susan > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
